The British Airports Authority (BAA), owner of Heathrow, has released an app for both iPhone and Android handsets that aims to aid aviators make the most of the their passage through through the airport.
However, it is already drawing flack from downloaders for demanding personal details such as name, email address, date of …

Well you can always lie you know

Enforce the DPA?

BAA will cry national security or some such (though not being a nationally owned...) since this is a very obvious breach of the data protection act, specifically the third principle since I can't understand why any data is necessary when users can browse the same content online without hassle.

Reason for registration

It is so when some nutter gets throught the wet paper bag that is security at, say, Stansted Airport, (as security in such places is largely misdirected) and runs amok, they can add everyone who ever downloaded the app to the list of people "likely to have material of use to terrorists" and arrest them and search their houses. And computers/smartphones etc

Remember, the train timetable and a map of the tube was useful to the 7/7 bombers.

spam and counterspam

Might be illegal

I think it may be illegal to collect personal data without a hint what for - and especially if there is no obvious need for it at all. I'd call the Information Commissioner's helpline and get an opinion..

Introducing a skip registration button

Thanks for your comments on our recent app. We clearly didn't get it quite right on the pre-registration front, so we're introducing a skip registration button. Let us know what else you'd like to see on future updates. Heathrow App Team